Price rail marker



n- 28, 1969 T. L. BERRY, JR., ETAL 3,423,860

PRICE RAIL MARKER Filed June 26. 1967 INVENTORS THOMAS LEE/PIN, JR. VERNON A. MOCK RICH/l RD 5. 0L SON 5O United States Patent Office 11 Claims Int. Cl. G09f 1/00, 7/18, 19/02 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The disclosure describes a price rail marker having a base tab, for attachment to the price rail of a commodity shelf, with an advertising display or tag suspended therefrom on a flexible support in spacial attention-getting relationship before the commodity. As an illustrative embodiment the advertising piece is suspended from an elongated, tapered, flat, resilient member affixed to a base for engagement with the price rail and the spacial relationship of the advertising display with the commodity can be changed depending on the longitudinal configuration of the suspending member and the point of attachment of the resilient member with the display piece. The advertising display is animated in a manner imparting unusual attention-getting oscillations thereto by air movements occurring in its environment. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Background of the invention The invention concerns price rail indicators for use in displaying advertising copy before commodity shelves in a manner to attract the attention of the prospective buyer and has particular usefulness in super-markets where it is desirable to attract the attention of the buyer to special sale items. In particular the invention concerns inexpensive, one-piece, flat, resilient price rail indicators fabricated from sheet material and having a display tag, preferably in the form of an arrow, suspended therefrom in effective oscillating relationship. The device of this invention is easily installed and removed or changed and may take a variety of forms.

Price rail indicator devices and advertising displays of many different designs are known in the prior art. Generally the prior art tags are rigidly attached to or part of the base, the edges of which attach within spaced slots of the price rail. The tag is thereby bowed outwardly from the price rail in a fixed position. Some of these displays or indicators have folded segments which upon assembly with the price rail have a three dimensional appearance or have the indicator extending outwardly from the price rail in a fixed position. Often wires or special brackets are required to obtain special effects with little or no animation. The prior art devices of this nature are fixed both as to the angle at which they are disposed to the price rail and to the mechandise, Animation of the display, as through motor driven devices is only justified for highly special displays and is costly. The instant in vention provides a price rail indicator of simple and inexpensive design which displays the advertising message spacially removed from the merchandise in an attentiongetting manner and has a mystic self-oscillating movement not found in the prior art devices.

Summary of the invention This invention provides a self-oscillating price rail indicator wherein the advertising display or tag is suspended outwardly from the price rail from a resilient elongated strip and is adapted to hang either opposed to or parallel to the commodity in a manner which naturally attracts the attention of the buyer. The indi- 3,423,860 Patented Jan. 28, 1969 vidual indicators can be fabricated so as to change not only the angle at which they hang in relation to the commodity but also the relationship of the indicator with the viewer. The sales message is displayed in an ever-changing random oscillation which warrants closer attention by the buyer as he approaches the display. The inventive concept lies in the discovery of a particular relationship between the planar curvature of the resilient suspending strip and the angular displacement of the attached indicator under the forces of gravity, before the commodity shelf.

More particularly, it has been found that by providing a fiat, flexible, suspending strip with a substantially straight longitudinal axis, when not under a bending force due to gravitation, the indicator or tag supported at its extended end will have its plane surface essentially parallel to and outwardly spaced from the commodity shelf. A feature of this invention is the discovery that by providing the flat suspending strip with a curved longitudinal axis, when not under gravitational tension, the indicator or tag supported at its extended end will have its plane surface essentially perpendicular or oblique to and outwardly spaced from the commodity shelf. By varying the curvature and degree of taper or both of the axis of the flat suspending strip, the spacial relationship between the indicator display and the commodity shelf can be controlled to produce combinations of spacial relationships as desired. Furthermore, a number of such suspended indicators or tags can be used in a display sequence vertically, diagonally or horizontally, to produce unusual attention-getting effects along a display shelf. The device of this invention can be readily fabricated in one piece from inexpensive sheet material and can be used either above or below the commodity as desired.

Accordingly, the primary objects of this invention are to provide an improved attention-getting indicator device characterized by the unique manner of suspension before the viewer and with a mystifying, apparently self-motivated, wiggle-waggle appearance.

Another object of this invention is to provide a price rail indicator device having a multi-directional price tag arrow indicator with a variable oscillating planar relationship with the commodity.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a price rail sales tag which is inexpensive to manufacture, store and handle and is adapted to be used with existing slotted rails on the merchants shelf.

Description of the drawings In order to demonstrate the invention reference is made to the non-limiting embodiment illustrated by the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plane view of a price rail marker according to our invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view of a similar marker with a modified disposition of the tag.

FIG. 3 is a plane view of another form of a price rail marker according to the invention.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of a marker similar to that shown in FIG. 3 but with a modified disposition of the tag.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a price rail marker of FIG. 1 in position within the slots of a price rail wherein the display tag is suspended substantially perpendicular to the commodity and is in the form of an arrow pointing upwardly.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a price rail marker according to FIG. 2 with the display tag suspended substantially perpendicular to the commodity with the arrow pointing downwardly.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a price rail marker of FIG. 3 within the slots of a price rail wherein the display tag is suspended substantially parallel to the commodity with the arrow pointing downwardly; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a price rail marker according to FIG. 4 with the display tag suspended substantially parallel to the commodity with the arrow pointing upwardly.

The preferred embodiment Referring to the drawings, particularly FIG. 1, the price rail marker comprises a base tab 10, a support member 12, and a display tag 14, all cut or formed in one piece from sheet material of pliable nature such as paper, plastic, or coated sheet. The base tab 10 has a top straight edge 16 and angular sides 18. The bottom edge 20 has spaced notches 22, the inner edges of which define the wide base 24 of the support member 12. The lower end of the support member 12 is curved or arcuate as at 26 and the end attaches to or is part of the display tag 14, joining same at the narrow end at one corner 28. The display tag is in the form of an arrow having a point 30 formed by the converging sides 32, with an outwardly rounded corner 34. The sides 36 of the tab 14 taper outwardly to bottom edge 38.

FIG. 2 shows another form of the device of FIG. 1 with the tab 14 having a similar shaped arrow 30', with the support member 26 attaching to the juncture formed by the curved bottom edge 38' and the side 36 which is coincident with the edge 38 of the tab 14.

In FIG. 3 the base tab 10 is the same as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. It will be understood, however, that the base tab 10 of either embodiment can be substantially rectangular if desired. In this embodiment of FIG. 3 the support member 40 has tapered sides 42 converging on and attaching to the middle of the top edge 44 of the display tag 46, having sides 48, and a point formed by angular sides 52 with inwardly curved corners 54.

The modification of this device shown in FIG. 4, illustrates that the place of attachment of the support member 40 can be at the arrow point 50 instead of the base. The body and one or both sides of the display tags 14 and 46 or 14' and 46 can be used for the sales message.

In FIG. 5 the base 10 of the price rail marker of FIG. 1 is shown afiixed between the grooves or flanges and 62 of a price rail 64 attached to the outer edge of a commodity shelf 66, only partially shown. In this position the base 10 is bent slightly outward and its top and bottom edges 16 and .20, now reversed, engage the grooves 6062 of the price rail 64. As illustrated the weight of the display tag 14 causes the support member 12 to bend outwardly and downwardly. The arcuate section 26 has turned about as a result of the gravitational force acting on the tag 14, so that the flat surface thereof is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the price rail 64. In this position the display tag 14 is resiliently suspended in spaced relationship before the shelf 66 with the arrow point 30 pointed directly at the commodity before which the price rail marker is positioned. The sales message, in this instance on both sides of the tag 14 is seen from either direction by the prospective buyer. Any air currents due to natural ventilation, the passage of customers thereby or from fans directed down the aisle, cause the display tag 14 to bounce and wiggle in a random manner which attracts attention.

In FIG. 6 the price rail marker represented comprises the embodiment of FIG. 2 wherein the support 12 attaches to the bottom corner of the display tag 14' so that the arrow point 30' is directed downwardly and inwardly toward commodities below the price rail marker 64, i.e. on the shelf below the one indicated. The manner of attachment of the base 10 to the price rail 64 is the same as in FIG. 3, and the arrow stands in a plane substantially perpendicular to the face of the price rail.

Referring to FIG. 7 the price rail marker comprises the embodiment of FIG. 3 wherein the support 40 attaches to the top edge 44 of the display tag 46, placing the arrow point 50 in a position pointing almost vertically downward and in a plane substantially parallel with the face of the price rail. This arrangement can be used with offset shelves or where the commodity is on a lower shelf as in FIG. 6. The sales message would be on the outer side of the display tag 46. However, the movement of the tag 46 is such that a message can be effectively carried on both sides thereof.

Similarly, in FIG. 8 the price display tag 46 is suspended by the resilient support 40 in such a manner that the arrow point 50' is positioned substantially vertically upward, that is, to the commodity on the shelf 66, the opposite of FIG. 7. Here again a sales message on the back side is not lost because of the surprising degree of motion imparted to the tag due to this construction.

From the foregoing description of this invention it is apparent that the illustrations of FIGS. 5 to 8 inclusive can be considered as a unit, as if the price rail were continuous and the various display tags were attached along one shelf. This arrangement and various modifications thereof can be repeated along the various shelves. All of the arrows on one price rail can be made to point inwardly and all of the arrows on the next adjacent upper shelf can be made to point downwardly as an interesting variation.

The price rail markers of this invention are preferably cut or stamped from a single piece of paper or thin sheet plastic. The sales message can be placed thereon by means of a glued label or with a colored crayon or marking pencil. The sales message can be printed thereon at the time of cutting if desired. Other arrangements for aflixing the sales message thereto are apparent to one skilled in this art.

The ratio of the width of the base 24 of the support means 12 to the width of the narrow end thereof, or the juncture 28 is about 5 to 1 to 20 to 1. In the illustrative embodiment the support member base 24 is about 1 inch wide while the juncture 28 is about inch wide. The curved portion 26 of the support member can be of fixed radius or have a gradually diminishing radius from the base 24 to the juncture 28. The base 24 of the support member is constructed with sufficient width to carry the weight of the tag 14 along its initial length and the taper is sufiicient to allow the support member to bend into a semi-circle under the combined weight of the tag 14 and its own weight, when the base member 10 is supported in a substantially vertical plane and inverted with edge 16 at the bottom. The curvature of the curved portion 26 causes the support member 12 to twist about 90 under the weight of the tag 14. Dilferent effects are obtained by the use of angularly disposed price rails. The off-set created by the curvature 26 from the center line of the base 24 is about the width of the display tag 14 and the weight of the tag 14 is at least about twice that of the combined weights of the base and support member 12.

Although several specific embodiments of this invention have been herein shown and described, it will be understood that the details of construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A price rail marker comprising, in combination:

(1) a base member adapted to be affixed in an upright position;

(2) an elongated flat resilient support member, extending from the plane of the top edge of said base member, and

(3) a display tag at the extended end of said supporting member, said display tag having sufiicient weight in relation to the resiliency of said support member to bend same outwardly and downwardly out of the plane of said base member.

2. A price rail marker in accordance with claim 1 in which said base member, support member and display tag are formed as a unitized fiat resilient piece.

3. A price rail marker in accordance with claim 1 in which said support member is wider at the base end attached to the top edge of said base member and the edges gradually taper inwardly to the point of attachment to said display tag.

4. A price rail marker in accordance with claim 3 in which said display tag attaches to said narrow end of said support member at a point intermediate the ends of one of its sides.

5. A price rail marker in accordance with claim 4 in which the sides opposite the point of attachment converge into an arrow point.

6. A price rail marker in accordance with claim 4 in which said display tag attaches to said narrow end of said support member at the point of convergence of two of its sides.

7. A price rail marker in accordance with claim 3 in which said support member is arcuate along its longitudinal axis, said are having a progressively shorter radius toward the narrow end to thereby off-set the center of gravity of said display tag from the center of said base member when in non-supporting relationship and said display tag is thereby supported in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of said base member from a price rail engaged by said base member.

8. A price rail marker in accordance with claim 7 in which said display tag attaches to the narrow end of said support member at the juncture of two of its sides.

9. A price rail marker in accordance with claim 8 in which one of said sides converges with a third side to form an arrow point.

10. A price rail marker in accordance with claim 8 in which one of said sides is opposite the converging arrow point sides of said display tag.

11. A price rail marker in accordance with claim 1 in which said base support has top and bottom edges adapted to be engaged between spaced opposed grooves of a price rail and said top edge has terminal tabs for engagement with said top groove.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,941,321 6/1960 Wood -11 3,015,177 1/1962 Hernbd et 211. 40 10 3,041,760 7/1962 Slavsky 40 10 3,091,875 6/1963 Crafa 40 11 JEROME SCI-INALL, Primary Examiner.

WENOESLAO I. CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 4()-138, 

